FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY
March 17, 2016
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
ATTORNEY GENERAL STRANGE JOINS 20 ATTORNEYS GENERAL SUPPORTING U.S.
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE POSITION TO GIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE A VOICE
IN SELECTION OF NEXT SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
(MONTGOMERY) – Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange today joined 20 other Attorneys
General in supporting the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s position to give the American
people a voice in the selection of their next U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Attorney General Strange and the other Attorneys General signed a letter to the U.S. Senate
Judiciary Committee Chairman and the Senate Majority Leader strongly supporting the Senate
Republicans in their determination to ensure that the replacement for the late Justice Antonin
Scalia will be faithful to our Constitution.
“The American people deserve to have their voice heard in this process,” the Attorneys General
wrote. “This is why we applaud you for exercising the Senate’s constitutional right to advise
and consent, and giving the American people a voice in the selection of their next Justice.”
“As conservatives, we strongly support the Senate Republicans in the fight for the Constitution.
And we are all too aware of the negative assault that is coming against the Republican Senators
as the national media throws it collective weight against the GOP efforts to allow the American
people to play their rightful role in the nomination of the next Supreme Court Justice. Every
time the media accuses those Senators of “not doing their job” for refusing to capitulate to the
President’s demands, we must stand strong and remind all who will listen that the Senate is
doing precisely the job that the Constitution gives it: to consent only to nominees who the Senate
can confirm will be faithful to our Constitution.”
The letter was signed by the Attorneys General from Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida,
Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
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A copy of the AGs’ letter is attached
501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov March 17, 2016
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
U.S. Senate Majority Leader
S-230, The Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Charles Grassley
Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary
135 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator McConnell and Senator Grassley:
One month ago, we lost Justice Antonin Scalia, one of the greatest jurists of our time, and
a conservative icon on the Supreme Court.
Yesterday, President Obama nominated a replacement whose values and judicial
philosophy stand in stark contrast to those of Justice Scalia, in order to create a liberal
majority on the Court that may last for decades. Doing so at this time, while we are the
midst of a heated battle for the presidency, undermines the American people’s confidence
in their judicial branch by depriving them of a say in the selection of Justice Scalia’s
replacement.
The American people deserve to have their voice heard in this process. That is why we
applaud you for exercising the Senate’s constitutional right to advise and consent, and
giving the American people a voice in the selection of their next Justice.
The past seven-plus years have shown it is critical that the Senate faithfully fulfill its
constitutional duty. Time and again in his presidency, President Obama has turned a blind
eye to constitutional limitations on his power, and has demanded that Congress capitulate
to his will. It is precisely for this reason that the Senate needs to ensure that the newest
member of the Court have the same faithful adherence to the text of the Constitution that
Justice Scalia exhibited throughout his tenure. Indeed, it is times like these when we are
most strongly reminded of why our Founders had the foresight to embed in our
Constitution checks and balances on the President’s powers such as the Senate’s power to
advise and consent.
As conservatives, we strongly support the Senate Republicans in the fight for the
Constitution. And we are all too aware of the negative assault that is coming against the
Republican Senators as the national media throws its collective weight against the GOP
efforts to allow the American people to play their rightful role in the nomination of the
next Supreme Court Justice. Every time the media accuses those Senators of “not doing
their job” for refusing to capitulate to the President’s demands, we must stand strong and
remind all who will listen that the Senate is doing precisely the job that the Constitution
gives it: to consent only to nominees who the Senate can confirm will be faithful to our
Constitution.
We are committed to acting with the same unity the GOP Senate has demonstrated to
date in order to bring these issues to the forefront, to make clear to the American people
what is at stake, and to rally our fellow citizens to the cause of saving the Constitution.
In closing, our next Justice of the United States Supreme Court must defend the
Constitution of the United States of America and respect the rule of law.
Sincerely,
Bill Schuette Scott Pruitt Pam Bondi
Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General
State of Michigan State of Oklahoma State of Florida
Sean Reyes Alan Wilson Jeff Landry
Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General
State of Utah State of South Carolina State of Louisiana
Patrick Morrisey Adam Laxalt Leslie Rutledge
Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General
State of West Virginia State of Nevada State of Arkansas
Wayne Stenehjem Mike DeWine Sam Olens
Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General
State of North Dakota State of Ohio State of Georgia
Ken Paxton Greg Zoeller Marty Jackley
Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General
State of Texas State of Indiana State of South Dakota
Doug Peterson Derek Schmidt Brad Schimel
Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General
State of Nebraska State of Kansas State of Wisconsin
Luther Strange Tim Fox Cynthia Coffman
Attorney General Attorney General Attorney General
State of Alabama State of Montana State of Colorado
